Tire with tire tag

ABSTRACT

A pneumatic tire includes a tire body having a crown portion and a pair of sidewalls. At least one reinforcing belt is disposed in the crown portion of the tire. A tag is carried by the reinforcing belt. In one embodiment, the tag is disposed in the location of one of the reinforcing cords that is disposed in the reinforcing belt. In another embodiment, the tag is disposed at the splice of the reinforcing belt. An alternative version of the tire has the tag carried in a depression formed in the outer surface of the tire sidewall. The tag may be encapsulated with an encapsulation material that is also disposed in the depression.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.13/048,613 filed Mar. 15, 2011 which is a continuation of U.S.application Ser. No. 11/452,676 filed Jun. 13, 2006, which is adivisional application of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/743,694 filedDec. 22, 2003, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional applicationSe. No. 60/436,057 filed Dec. 23, 2002; the disclosures of each areincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention generally relates to pneumatic tires and, moreparticularly, to a pneumatic tire in combination with a tire tag.Specifically, the present invention is related to how the tire tag ismounted to the pneumatic tire and the location of the mounting.

2. Background Information

Various types of tire tags in the nature of tire monitoring devices andtire identification devices are known in the art. Tire monitoringdevices may be configured to read temperature or pressure and store theinformation for later retrieval. These devices may also be configured totransmit the information from the tire to an outside reader. Tiremonitoring devices may use the information to trigger an alarm when thetemperature or pressure of the tire reaches a limit. Tire identificationdevices allow a tire to be identified through its manufacturing processand after the tire is placed into service. Tire monitoring andidentification devices may be passive or active depending on design anddesired functions.

One type of tire identification device known in the art is a tireidentification chip (tire ID chip). A tire ID chip stores a uniqueidentification number that may be read by an interrogation signal sentby a device that obtains the information from the tire ID chip. Tiremanufacturers wish to mount one tire ID chip into each tire manufacturedso that the tire may be tracked during the manufacturing process andduring use on vehicles.

Given the wide variety of monitoring and identification devices, a widevariety of mounting configurations also exist for these devices.Exemplary known mounting configurations include building the monitoringdevice into a tire sidewall, building the monitoring device into thebead filler, attaching the device with a patch to the tire sidewall,attaching the device directly to the innerliner with an adhesive,connecting the device to the rim that supports the tire, and mountingthe device to the valve stem of the wheel.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a first configuration that mounts the tireidentification or tire monitoring device in one of the belts ofreinforcing cords positioned in the crown of the tire. Theidentification or monitoring device may take the place of one of thereinforcing cords, may be positioned between reinforcing cords, or maybe positioned at the splice that is used to form a loop out of thereinforcing cord ply.

The invention also provides an embodiment wherein the tireidentification or tire monitoring device is mounted in a depressionformed in the outer surface of the sidewall. The tire identification ortire monitoring device may be encapsulated with an encapsulationmaterial in the depression.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a section view of a pneumatic tire showing the first mountingconfiguration for the tire monitoring or tire identification device.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view, partially in section, of the tire crownshowing the tire tag mounted at the splice in the belt.

FIG. 3 is a section view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 3A is a section view similar to FIG. 3 showing an alternatemounting configuration wherein the tire tag replaces one of thereinforcing cords of the belt.

FIG. 3B is a section view similar to FIG. 3 showing an alternativeembodiment wherein the tire tag is positioned between adjacentreinforcing cords in the belt.

FIG. 4 is a section view of a pneumatic tire showing the tire tagmounted in a second configuration.

FIG. 4A is an enlarged section view of the encircled portion of FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 is an elevation view of the tire showing the mounted tire tag.

Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the specification.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A first embodiment of a tire and tire tag combination is indicatedgenerally by the numeral 100 in FIGS. 1-3. Combination 100 generallyincludes a tire 102 and a tag 104 that is mounted to tire 102. Tag 104may be an identification device or a monitoring device. In theembodiment of tag 104 shown in the drawings, tag 104 has a central body106 with wires 108 extending from opposed sides of body 106. Body 106may include any of a variety of elements that are used to store andpresent information about tire 102 to a reader (not shown) that requeststhe information.

In the first mounting configuration, tag 104 is built into one of thereinforcing belts 110 disposed in the crown of tire 102. Eachreinforcing belt 110 includes a plurality of reinforcing cords 112disposed adjacent each other. Each reinforcing cord 112 is encased in arubber material 114 or other suitable materials. Each belt 110 iswrapped circumferentially around tire 102 with the ends of belt 110being joined at a splice 116. Splice 116 is generally parallel to wires112. In the first mounting configuration, tag 104 is located at splice116 in order to create a built-in mounting location for tag 104. Tag 104may be embedded in the adhesive of splice 116. Tag 104 may be built intothe outermost belt 110 in order to improve readability and to decreaseits exposure to the curing heat used to attach belt 110 to the body oftire 102. The location also protects tag 104 from tire bending forcesduring tire shaping.

Tag 104 may be built into splice 116 when splice 116 is formed. In thealternative, tag 104 may be prebuilt into ply 110 at splice 116 or atanother suitable location. For instance, in another embodiment of theinvention, tag 104 replaces one of reinforcing cords 112 as shown inFIG. 3A. In FIG. 3B, tag 104 is positioned between adjacent reinforcingcords 112. These locations have the benefit of protecting tag 104 fromcuring heat, protecting tag 104 during tire shaping, and placing tiretag 104 in a location where there is less interference with other tirestructures. This location also places tag 104 in a location where itdoes not protrude from an internal or external surface of tire 102. Thelocation also does not rely on adhesive for durability of the connectionbetween tag 104 and tire 102. Adjacent belts may use suitable mechanismsin opposed locations to tag 104 for tire uniformity.

The second embodiment of the tire and tag combination is indicatedgenerally by the numeral 200 in FIGS. 4-5. Combination 200 generallyincludes a pneumatic tire 202 and a tag 204 that is mounted to one ofthe sidewalls 206 of tire 202. Tag 204 is mounted to sidewall 206 in alocation that is adapted to be above the rim 208 when tire 202 ismounted to rim 208. In one embodiment, tag 204 may be mountedimmediately above rim 208 where the sidewall is thicker and flexes less.This area is identified by numeral 209 in FIG. 4.

Tag 204 is disposed in a cavity 210 defined by sidewall 206. Cavity 210has sufficient dimensions to receive the entire body of tag 204 withadditional room for an encapsulation material 212. In thisspecification, encapsulation material 212 may be any of a wide varietyof materials that will adhere to tire 202 in order to help secure tag204 to tire sidewall 206. A variety of known adhesives or repaircompounds/materials may be used as encapsulation material 212.Encapsulation material 212 may be a rigid material or a relativelyflexible material. One exemplary rigid encapsulation material is anepoxy that prevents the elements of tag 204 from flexing with respect toeach other during tire use.

This embodiment allows tag 204 to be installed after tire 202 isfabricated and cured. The embodiment also allows tag 204 to beselectively placed in tire 202. This mounting position does not exposetag 204 to curing heat and prevents tag 204 from extending above theprofile of sidewall 206. The embodiment also allows for removal andreplacement of tag 204 depending on the type of encapsulation material212 used.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity,clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to beimplied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because suchterms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadlyconstrued.

Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is anexample and the invention is not limited to the exact details shown ordescribed.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A tire comprising: a pneumatic tire bodyhaving a crown portion and a pair of sidewalls; a plurality ofreinforcing belts disposed in the crown portion of the tire body; one ofthe reinforcing belts being a radially outermost reinforcing belt; theradially outermost reinforcing belt having a body that defines a radialouter surface and a radial inner surface; and a tag embedded within theradially outermost reinforcing belt; wherein the radially outermostreinforcing belt includes a plurality of spaced reinforcing cords; theplurality of spaced reinforcing cords including first and secondadjacent reinforcing cords spaced apart a first distance; and the tagbeing spaced from the first reinforcing cord by the first distance suchthat the first reinforcing cord is disposed between the secondreinforcing cord and the tag.
 2. The tire of claim 1, wherein the tagincludes a body with a wire extending from the body to define alongitudinal direction of the tag; the longitudinal direction of the tagbeing disposed parallel to the first cord.
 3. The tire of claim 1,wherein at least one reinforcing belt extends across the crown portionof the tire from one sidewall to the other sidewall.
 4. The tire ofclaim 1, wherein the tag is entirely disposed within the radiallyoutermost reinforcing belt between the radial inner surface and theradial outer surface.
 5. The tire of claim 1, wherein the tag is anidentification device.
 6. The tire of claim 5, wherein the tag includesa body with a wire extending from the body.
 7. The tire of claim 1,wherein the tag is a monitoring device.
 8. The tire of claim 1, whereinthe tag includes a body with wires extending from opposed sides of thebody.
 9. The tire of claim 8, wherein the wires extending from the bodydefine a longitudinal direction of the tag; the longitudinal directionof the tag being disposed parallel to the first cord.
 10. The tire ofclaim 9, wherein the tag is an identification device.
 11. The tire ofclaim 9, wherein the tag is a monitoring device.
 12. The tire of claim1, wherein the tag includes a body with a wire extending from the body.13. The tire of claim 12, wherein the tag is a monitoring device.